138:
difference in chord was that the front steel interplane struts leant slightly forwards, whilst the rear one was upright. Apart from their fabric covering the wings were entirely duralumin structures. There were push rod connected ailerons on both top and bottom wings. The
Sturgeon was a ship-board aircraft and so its wings folded to save space. A thickened centre section held fuel tanks and was supported by two sets of roughly N-shaped struts to the upper fuselage. A wide, V-shape cut out in the upper trailing edge went forward to the rear spar to enhance the view from the cockpits, which was helped by the wide interplane gap that put the upper wing well clear of the fuselage. The lower wing was also braced near its root by a pair of struts from each wing spar, fore and aft, to a common point on the fuselage above the leading edge of the wing.
147:
cut-out; he also had a bombsight hatch in the floor. A little further back was the radio operator/rear gunner, clear of the trailing edge. The fuselage diameter decreased to the tail, where a squat fin carried a tall, horn balanced rudder which extended down to the bottom of the fuselage. The tailplane was strut supported from below and sat on the fin just above the fuselage; it was straight edged and carried unbalanced, split elevators. One problem in adapting the monocoque method to a service aircraft was that the numerous openings and attachment brackets all needed local reinforcement, leading to a considerable weight gain.
158:. Some extension of the wing root fillets followed early flights; by January 1928 both aircraft were flying. Despite the higher than expected weight, the seaplanes performed well on the water and in the air. As Shorts had intended, they did demonstrate the resistance of duralumin aircraft to the elements; before its delivery to the
146:
VI radial engine, driving a two-bladed propeller and with exhausts leading back over the lower wing. There were three open cockpits, one behind the other. The pilot sat in front, behind the leading edge with the navigator cum bomb-aimer close behind him. The latter's position was just at the wing
150:
Though the
Sturgeon was constructed as a landplane, it did all of its flying on floats. These were long and joined to each other with a pair of transverse horizontal struts. There were three further struts per float to the fuselage:one from the forward part rearward to the engine bulkhead and two
137:
The
Sturgeon was a singled-engined, three-seat single-bay biplane, with wings of mild sweep. They had parallel chord and equal span, but the lower one had a slightly smaller chord than the upper, giving the appearance of stagger though the trailing edges were in line. Another consequence of the
141:
The fuselage was built from a pair of duralumin monocoques, bolted together. Each was constructed using Shorts' established method of plate riveted to oval, L-section frames and with longitudinal stiffeners. The
Sturgeon was powered by an uncowled
348:
Barnes notes that the second aircraft was photographed out on the Medway with its engine protected by a canvas cover, it has sometimes been claimed it had a
Townend ring cowling. It did not.
134:. The Air Ministry ordered two prototypes without raising hopes of series production. Nonetheless, Shorts were keen to demonstrate once again the corrosion resistance of treated duralumin.
130:
fuselages and wings which were at first duralumin covered, then fabric. The last of this series was the Short S.6 Sturgeon, a three-seat fleet reconnaissance aircraft designed to meet
1866:
402:
159:
998:
1881:
395:
131:
371:
111:
specification but mostly intended as a demonstrator of the corrosion resistance of duralumin aircraft structures. Two were made.
1871:
388:
174:
base for three weeks in
February weather, protected only by cockpit and engine covers. Their final fate is not known.
1835:
1550:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1123:
1113:
691:
681:
676:
671:
104:
40:
441:
436:
155:
1760:
1409:
1254:
1249:
843:
838:
466:
16:
This article is about the 1927 Fleet reconnaissance biplane. For the 1946 twin-engined aircraft, see
1555:
1374:
1349:
1344:
1244:
1048:
983:
858:
828:
481:
476:
431:
268:
120:
1108:
1018:
943:
908:
151:
from a common point further aft to the two wing spars, joining the lower wing struts from below.
1775:
1294:
1189:
848:
778:
426:
1088:
1043:
1038:
1028:
978:
973:
953:
878:
635:
1876:
1830:
1805:
1800:
1765:
1535:
1461:
1454:
1447:
1359:
1329:
1324:
1274:
1128:
1068:
367:
1750:
1666:
1525:
1399:
1229:
863:
1651:
1631:
1379:
1354:
1284:
1194:
833:
798:
763:
758:
753:
233:
171:
143:
1845:
1840:
1790:
1702:
1661:
1646:
1641:
1603:
1520:
1504:
1499:
1394:
1384:
1334:
1279:
1209:
1204:
1093:
1063:
1013:
1008:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
913:
893:
883:
803:
748:
721:
716:
711:
706:
701:
696:
686:
645:
411:
65:
55:
17:
154:
The first of the two
Sturgeons made its maiden flight on 22 June 1927 in the hands of
1860:
1810:
1785:
1735:
1671:
1636:
1571:
1494:
1424:
1369:
1309:
1304:
1269:
1234:
1174:
1118:
1083:
1058:
1033:
1023:
963:
958:
948:
808:
793:
788:
783:
271:
firing forward from blister on the port side of the engine and 1× 0.303 in (7.7 mm)
1795:
1780:
1740:
1707:
1621:
1587:
1484:
1479:
1419:
1364:
1314:
1299:
1264:
1259:
1219:
1214:
1199:
1184:
1179:
1103:
1078:
988:
968:
903:
888:
853:
823:
773:
743:
471:
108:
1770:
1489:
1339:
1319:
1289:
813:
630:
276:
1755:
1745:
1697:
1692:
1687:
1626:
1545:
1540:
1530:
1414:
1404:
1239:
1224:
1133:
1098:
1073:
1053:
898:
873:
868:
818:
666:
661:
640:
614:
609:
604:
599:
594:
589:
584:
579:
574:
569:
564:
559:
554:
549:
544:
539:
534:
529:
524:
519:
514:
509:
504:
499:
461:
456:
451:
163:
1730:
1725:
1158:
1153:
446:
272:
127:
124:
96:
36:
380:
100:
167:
123:
of 1920, Short
Brothers produced a series of military aircraft with
384:
1823:
1716:
1680:
1612:
1596:
1580:
1564:
1513:
1472:
1440:
1433:
1167:
997:
734:
654:
623:
490:
419:
166:, the second Sturgeon had been moored out on the
1867:1920s British military reconnaissance aircraft
396:
8:
236:9-cylinder radial, 520 hp (390 kW)
336:
324:
303:
185:
1437:
487:
403:
389:
381:
160:Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment
251:115 mph (185 km/h, 100 kn)
296:
24:
320:
318:
316:
314:
312:
7:
214:45 ft 11 in (14.00 m)
362:Barnes, C.H.; James, D. N. (1989).
208:32 ft 6 in (9.91 m)
14:
220:650 sq ft (60 m)
132:Air Ministry specification 1/24
1:
366:. London: Putnam Publishing.
226:6,213 lb (2,818 kg)
1882:Aircraft first flown in 1927
1898:
364:Shorts Aircraft since 1900
15:
1836:English Electric Canberra
306:, pp. 162–73, 206–11
178:Specifications (seaplane)
27:
119:Following the all-metal
1872:Short Brothers aircraft
337:Barnes & James 1989
325:Barnes & James 1989
304:Barnes & James 1989
193:General characteristics
186:Barnes & James 1989
105:reconnaissance aircraft
41:reconnaissance aircraft
327:, pp. 207–11, 216
115:Design and development
1613:Maritime patrol &
267:1× 0.303 in (7.7 mm)
156:John Lankester Parker
1761:Short-Mayo Composite
442:Short-Wright biplane
291:Notes and citations
269:Vickers machine gun
234:Bristol Jupiter VI
93:Short S.6 Sturgeon
1854:
1853:
1831:Bristol Britannia
1819:
1818:
1521:M4 scale Stirling
730:
729:
89:
88:
1889:
1719:& airliners:
1622:Empire/'C-Class'
1526:Gnosspelius Gull
1438:
1230:Gnosspelius Gull
655:Admiralty Types:
488:
405:
398:
391:
382:
377:
349:
346:
340:
334:
328:
322:
307:
301:
259:
244:
195:
82:
52:
44:Type of aircraft
25:
1897:
1896:
1892:
1891:
1890:
1888:
1887:
1886:
1857:
1856:
1855:
1850:
1815:
1718:
1712:
1676:
1615:reconnaissance:
1614:
1608:
1592:
1576:
1560:
1509:
1468:
1429:
1163:
1001:
993:
736:
726:
650:
619:
492:
486:
415:
409:
374:
361:
358:
353:
352:
347:
343:
335:
331:
323:
310:
302:
298:
293:
288:
279:in rear cockpit
260:
255:
240:
191:
180:
170:, near Shorts'
144:Bristol Jupiter
117:
99:single-engined
80:
51:National origin
50:
45:
21:
12:
11:
5:
1895:
1893:
1885:
1884:
1879:
1874:
1869:
1859:
1858:
1852:
1851:
1849:
1848:
1846:Felixstowe F.5
1843:
1841:Felixstowe F.3
1838:
1833:
1827:
1825:
1821:
1820:
1817:
1816:
1814:
1813:
1808:
1803:
1798:
1793:
1788:
1783:
1778:
1773:
1768:
1763:
1758:
1753:
1748:
1743:
1738:
1733:
1728:
1722:
1720:
1714:
1713:
1711:
1710:
1705:
1700:
1695:
1690:
1684:
1682:
1678:
1677:
1675:
1674:
1669:
1664:
1659:
1654:
1649:
1644:
1639:
1634:
1629:
1624:
1618:
1616:
1610:
1609:
1607:
1606:
1600:
1598:
1594:
1593:
1591:
1590:
1584:
1582:
1578:
1577:
1575:
1574:
1568:
1566:
1562:
1561:
1559:
1558:
1553:
1548:
1543:
1538:
1533:
1528:
1523:
1517:
1515:
1511:
1510:
1508:
1507:
1502:
1497:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1476:
1474:
1470:
1469:
1467:
1466:
1459:
1452:
1444:
1442:
1435:
1431:
1430:
1428:
1427:
1422:
1417:
1412:
1410:Triple-Tractor
1407:
1402:
1397:
1392:
1387:
1382:
1377:
1372:
1367:
1362:
1357:
1352:
1347:
1342:
1337:
1332:
1327:
1322:
1317:
1312:
1307:
1302:
1297:
1292:
1287:
1282:
1277:
1272:
1267:
1262:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1242:
1237:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1171:
1169:
1165:
1164:
1162:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1005:
1003:
995:
994:
992:
991:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
951:
946:
941:
936:
931:
926:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
856:
851:
846:
841:
836:
831:
826:
821:
816:
811:
806:
801:
796:
791:
786:
781:
776:
771:
766:
761:
756:
751:
746:
740:
738:
732:
731:
728:
727:
725:
724:
719:
714:
709:
704:
699:
694:
689:
684:
679:
674:
669:
664:
658:
656:
652:
651:
649:
648:
643:
638:
633:
627:
625:
621:
620:
618:
617:
612:
607:
602:
597:
592:
587:
582:
577:
572:
567:
562:
557:
552:
547:
542:
537:
532:
527:
522:
517:
512:
507:
502:
496:
494:
485:
484:
479:
474:
469:
467:Triple-Tractor
464:
459:
454:
449:
444:
439:
434:
429:
423:
421:
417:
416:
412:Short Brothers
410:
408:
407:
400:
393:
385:
379:
378:
372:
357:
354:
351:
350:
341:
329:
308:
295:
294:
292:
289:
287:
284:
281:
280:
253:
252:
249:Maximum speed:
238:
237:
227:
221:
215:
209:
203:
179:
176:
116:
113:
107:, built to an
87:
86:
83:
77:
76:
73:
69:
68:
66:Short Brothers
63:
59:
58:
56:United Kingdom
53:
47:
46:
43:
34:
30:
29:
18:Short Sturgeon
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1894:
1883:
1880:
1878:
1875:
1873:
1870:
1868:
1865:
1864:
1862:
1847:
1844:
1842:
1839:
1837:
1834:
1832:
1829:
1828:
1826:
1824:Under licence
1822:
1812:
1809:
1807:
1804:
1802:
1799:
1797:
1794:
1792:
1789:
1787:
1784:
1782:
1779:
1777:
1774:
1772:
1769:
1767:
1764:
1762:
1759:
1757:
1754:
1752:
1749:
1747:
1744:
1742:
1739:
1737:
1734:
1732:
1729:
1727:
1724:
1723:
1721:
1715:
1709:
1706:
1704:
1701:
1699:
1696:
1694:
1693:Improved S.27
1691:
1689:
1686:
1685:
1683:
1679:
1673:
1670:
1668:
1665:
1663:
1662:Sturgeon (II)
1660:
1658:
1655:
1653:
1650:
1648:
1645:
1643:
1640:
1638:
1635:
1633:
1630:
1628:
1625:
1623:
1620:
1619:
1617:
1611:
1605:
1602:
1601:
1599:
1595:
1589:
1586:
1585:
1583:
1579:
1573:
1570:
1569:
1567:
1563:
1557:
1556:Silver Streak
1554:
1552:
1549:
1547:
1544:
1542:
1539:
1537:
1534:
1532:
1529:
1527:
1524:
1522:
1519:
1518:
1516:
1514:Experimental:
1512:
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1477:
1475:
1471:
1465:
1464:
1460:
1458:
1457:
1453:
1451:
1450:
1446:
1445:
1443:
1439:
1436:
1432:
1426:
1423:
1421:
1418:
1416:
1413:
1411:
1408:
1406:
1403:
1401:
1398:
1396:
1395:Sturgeon (II)
1393:
1391:
1388:
1386:
1383:
1381:
1378:
1376:
1375:Sporting Type
1373:
1371:
1368:
1366:
1363:
1361:
1358:
1356:
1353:
1351:
1350:Silver Streak
1348:
1346:
1343:
1341:
1338:
1336:
1333:
1331:
1330:Sherpa (C-23)
1328:
1326:
1325:Sherpa (SB.4)
1323:
1321:
1318:
1316:
1313:
1311:
1308:
1306:
1303:
1301:
1298:
1296:
1293:
1291:
1288:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1278:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1245:Knuckleduster
1243:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1233:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1172:
1170:
1166:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1006:
1004:
1000:
996:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
810:
807:
805:
802:
800:
797:
795:
792:
790:
787:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
770:
767:
765:
762:
760:
757:
755:
752:
750:
747:
745:
742:
741:
739:
733:
723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
659:
657:
653:
647:
644:
642:
639:
637:
634:
632:
629:
628:
626:
624:'N' sequence:
622:
616:
613:
611:
608:
606:
603:
601:
598:
596:
593:
591:
588:
586:
583:
581:
578:
576:
573:
571:
568:
566:
563:
561:
558:
556:
553:
551:
548:
546:
543:
541:
538:
536:
533:
531:
528:
526:
523:
521:
518:
516:
513:
511:
508:
506:
503:
501:
498:
497:
495:
489:
483:
482:Silver Streak
480:
478:
477:Sporting Type
475:
473:
470:
468:
465:
463:
460:
458:
455:
453:
452:Improved S.27
450:
448:
445:
443:
440:
438:
435:
433:
430:
428:
425:
424:
422:
418:
413:
406:
401:
399:
394:
392:
387:
386:
383:
375:
373:0-87021-662-7
369:
365:
360:
359:
355:
345:
342:
339:, p. 164
338:
333:
330:
326:
321:
319:
317:
315:
313:
309:
305:
300:
297:
290:
285:
283:
278:
274:
270:
266:
263:
262:
261:
258:
250:
247:
246:
245:
243:
235:
231:
228:
225:
224:Gross weight:
222:
219:
216:
213:
210:
207:
204:
201:
198:
197:
196:
194:
189:
188:, p. 216
187:
184:
177:
175:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
152:
148:
145:
139:
135:
133:
129:
126:
122:
121:Silver Streak
114:
112:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
84:
79:
78:
75:22 June 1927
74:
72:First flight
71:
70:
67:
64:
62:Manufacturer
61:
60:
57:
54:
49:
48:
42:
38:
35:
32:
31:
26:
23:
19:
1776:Scion Senior
1741:Short Empire
1657:Sturgeon (I)
1656:
1462:
1455:
1448:
1390:Sturgeon (I)
1389:
1295:Scion Senior
768:
437:Biplane No.3
432:Biplane No.2
427:Biplane No.1
363:
344:
332:
299:
286:Bibliography
282:
264:
256:
254:
248:
241:
239:
229:
223:
217:
211:
205:
199:
192:
190:
182:
181:
153:
149:
140:
136:
118:
109:Air Ministry
92:
90:
81:Number built
22:
1766:Sandringham
1536:SB.4 Sherpa
1415:Triple-Twin
1405:Tandem-Twin
1275:Sandringham
1159:SD.3-60/360
1154:SD.3-30/330
462:Tandem-Twin
457:Triple-Twin
277:Scarff ring
242:Performance
230:Powerplant:
1861:Categories
1717:Transports
1667:Sunderland
1400:Sunderland
1320:'Shamrock'
218:Wing area:
164:Felixstowe
1681:Trainers:
1652:Springbok
1632:Singapore
1627:'G-Class'
1565:Fighters:
1441:Airships:
1380:Springbok
1355:Singapore
1285:Satellite
1225:'G-Class'
1185:'C-Class'
969:S.45 (II)
735:Post-1921
493:sequence:
491:Early 'S'
447:Dunne D.5
273:Lewis gun
212:Wingspan:
183:Data from
172:Rochester
128:monocoque
125:duralumin
97:prototype
37:Prototype
28:Sturgeon
1877:Biplanes
1791:Shetland
1703:Sturgeon
1647:Shetland
1642:Sarafand
1604:Crusader
1581:Gliders:
1505:Sturgeon
1500:Stirling
1473:Bombers:
1385:Stirling
1345:'Shrimp'
1335:Shetland
1280:Sarafand
1220:'Folder'
1210:Crusader
1205:Cromarty
1190:Calcutta
1002:sequence
964:S.45 (I)
737:sequence
420:Pre-1921
414:aircraft
257:Armament
1811:Valetta
1786:Sealand
1746:G-Class
1736:Belfast
1672:Seaford
1637:Rangoon
1597:Racers:
1572:Gurnard
1495:Sperrin
1434:By type
1425:Valetta
1370:Sperrin
1310:Sealand
1305:Seaford
1270:Rangoon
1250:Mercury
1235:Gurnard
1195:Chamois
1175:Belfast
999:S.B.A.C
356:Sources
206:Length:
101:biplane
1806:Skyvan
1801:Sherpa
1796:Solent
1781:Scylla
1708:Tucano
1588:Nimbus
1485:Seamew
1480:Bomber
1420:Tucano
1365:Solent
1360:Skyvan
1315:Seamew
1300:Scylla
1265:Nimbus
1260:Mussel
1215:Empire
1200:Cockle
1180:Bomber
472:Bomber
370:
168:Medway
103:naval
95:was a
39:naval
1771:Scion
1751:Hythe
1490:Shirl
1340:Shirl
1290:Scion
1168:Names
989:S.312
784:S.8/8
265:Guns:
200:Crew:
33:Role
1756:Kent
1698:S.38
1688:S.27
1551:SC.9
1546:SC.1
1541:SB.5
1531:SB.1
1255:Maia
1240:Kent
1149:SD.2
1144:SD.1
1139:SC.9
1134:SC.8
1129:SC.7
1124:SC.6
1119:SC.5
1114:SC.4
1109:SC.3
1104:SC.2
1099:SC.1
1094:SB.9
1089:SB.8
1084:SB.7
1079:SB.6
1074:SB.5
1069:SB.4
1064:SB.3
1059:SB.2
1054:SB.1
1049:SA.9
1044:SA.8
1039:SA.7
1034:SA.6
1029:SA.5
1024:SA.4
1019:SA.3
1014:SA.2
1009:SA.1
984:S.48
979:S.47
974:S.46
959:S.44
954:S.43
949:S.42
944:S.41
939:S.40
934:S.39
929:S.38
924:S.37
919:S.36
914:S.35
909:S.34
904:S.33
899:S.32
894:S.31
889:S.30
884:S.29
879:S.28
874:S.27
869:S.26
864:S.25
859:S.24
854:S.23
849:S.22
844:S.21
839:S.20
834:S.19
829:S.18
824:L.17
819:S.17
814:S.16
809:S.15
804:S.14
799:S.12
794:S.11
789:S.10
641:N.2B
636:N.2A
631:N.1B
615:S.81
610:S.80
605:S.62
600:S.53
595:S.52
590:S.51
585:S.50
580:S.49
575:S.48
570:S.45
565:S.44
560:S.43
555:S.41
550:S.39
545:S.38
540:S.36
535:S.35
530:S.34
525:S.33
520:S.32
515:S.29
510:S.28
505:S.27
500:S.26
368:ISBN
232:1 ×
91:The
1731:360
1726:330
1463:R38
1456:R32
1449:R31
779:S.8
774:S.7
769:S.6
764:S.5
759:S.4
754:S.3
749:S.2
744:S.1
722:830
717:827
712:320
707:310
702:301
697:184
692:166
687:136
682:135
646:N.3
275:on
162:at
1863::
677:81
672:74
667:42
311:^
85:2
662:3
404:e
397:t
390:v
376:.
202:3
20:.
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